Frank Buckley "Bucky" Pope (born March 23, 1941) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the National Football League (NFL) for the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers. He is mostly known for his 1964 season and nickname, "the Catawba Claw." The 31.44 yards he gained per reception that year is the second-highest for a season in NFL history.[1] After his stellar rookie season his career was derailed due to injuries.[2] He missed all of the 1965 season then played only 3 more years.[3]
| Born: | March 23, 1941 Crafton, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | Wide receiver |
| College | Catawba |
| NFL draft | 1964, round: 8 / Pick 105 |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1964–1967 | Los Angeles Rams |
| 1968 | Green Bay Packers |
Catawba College
editBucky was recruited to play basketball at Duke University but did not persist there due to his strong dislike of the other basketball scholarship player in his class. Academic issues may have also contributed. In any event, he decided to take his athletic talents elsewhere.[4] After that experience he became a two sport star at nearby Catawba College (1962-1963), originally recruited for basketball he also made his mark on the football field. In basketball, he averaged 19.4 points in 61 games and in two seasons playing football caught 66 passes for nearly 1,200 yards.[5]
References
edit- ^ "NFL Records". www.nfl.com. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ "Crafton's Pope had stellar football career". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ "Bucky Pope". pro football reference.
- ^ "Mike London picks: The Catawba Claw had one sensational season". The Salisbury Post. Archived from the original on July 8, 2008. Retrieved December 8, 2016.
- ^ "Catawba Football: Bucky Pope "The Catawba Claw"". GoCatawbaIndians.com. Archived from the original on August 1, 2017. Retrieved December 8, 2016.